MIAMI GARDENS, FL - APRIL 1: Dwayne ''The Rock'' Johnson looks on during his match against John Cena during WrestleMania XXVIII at Sun Life Stadium on April 1, 2012 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Ron Elkman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images)Ron Elkman/Sports Imagery/Getty Images

The Rock Explains How the Word SmackDown Started Being Used in WWE

Joseph ZuckerOct 16, 2018

With WWE celebrating the 1,000th episode of SmackDown on Tuesday night, The Rock joined in on the fun from afar.

The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment explained the genesis of the "SmackDown" name, saying he was the first to introduce the word to WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

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Few stars were more synonymous with SmackDown when WWE added the show to its weekly lineup in 1999.

The word "SmackDown" didn't join popular vernacular until The Rock started using it during his first run with WWE from the late 1990s through the early 2000s.

The Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary formally recognized "SmackDown" in its 11th edition in 2007, a testament to The Rock's continued legacy in and out of the ring.